Essential Jargon for Cheap Beeswax Candles and Other Candles

When you’re new to beeswax candles, the terminology used can make things very unclear. It doesn’t matter if you choose cheap beeswax candles or more expensive selections, there are a few terms you will need to understand. To help ensure you comprehend the beeswax jargon required for an excellent candle experience, make sure you know these essential terms.

• Bloom – A bloom forms over time and appears as a whitish film (also known as frosting) on the pure beeswax candles. If you prefer to have your candles shiny and polished, you can quickly remove the bloom by wiping the candle off with a soft cloth.

• Candle Snuffer – Candle snuffers are the preferred method for extinguishing a beeswax candlestick by candle enthusiasts. If you blow out the flame, it will smoke since your breath introduces smoke-producing air into the burn. Snuffers prevent this by encircling flame and forcing the flame to put itself out. In most cases, a snuffer will be bell-shaped, but there are also pinch-style snuffers on the market.

• Carbon Cap – A carbon cap (also known as a mushroom cap) will occasionally form on a beeswax candle. At times, it can even develop on the wick. To avoid this issue, ensure the wick is straight up and down prior to lighting the candle.

• Dunking – When using a beeswax pillar or votive, the best method to extinguish the candle is with dunking. This method involves using a hooked tool (such as a paper clip) to “dunk” the wick into the melted beeswax until the wick is submerged. This method will allow the flame to go out without smoking, similarly to using a snuffer. Once you straighten the wick back out, it will be ready to light again.

• Enviro-dyes – Enviro-dyes are used to make more vibrant colors in cheap beeswax candles. None of these dyes use ingredients found in California’s Proposition 65 list (a list of agents found to cause cancer). The colors are environmentally friendly, do not contain any hazardous air pollutants, and are REACH compliant (a European Union regulation that stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals).

• Floater – A floater is a small candle (typically with a rounded or tapered bottom shape) that floats in water.

• Hugging – While hugging may bring two humans embracing to mind, when dealing with candles, it is referring to properly caring for your candle to help guarantee you don’t waste any of the beeswax. For example, on a pillar candle, if you slowly and gently fold the sides in, it will assure the flame gets enough oxygen without the flame dancing or smoking while allowing the sides to melt into the wax pool.

• Pillar – Pillar candles are a freestanding type of candle with a cylinder shape (usually they are tall and round). However, pillar candles can also appear in other forms such as hearts, hexagons, squares, stars, and triangles.

• Votive Cup – A votive cup is crucial for beeswax votives to burn correctly. Similar to tea lights, while burning, beeswax votives are designed to liquefy completely. The votive cup should be snug and allows your candle to evenly burn from start to finish.

• Wick – The wick is a piece of cord or string that is lit and holds the candle flames. Wicks can be made from many materials. For example, braided cotton is a common material choice for wicks by many commercial companies. The type of candle wick chosen is selected based on which material will provide the least amount of blooming, the most consistent flame size, and the least amount of glow once you extinguish the flame.

For more on cheap beeswax candles or to ask questions on other beeswax jargon, contact the beeswax artisans at Bluecorn Beeswax today by calling 1-888-350-4929.